Looking for a wine weekend getaway? Forget Aspen, the Finger Lakes and Napa. The wine circuit in our backyard is thriving and just a quick drive away. These South Texas wine wonders are sure to please.

TEXAS SOUTHWIND VINEYARD AND WINERY

• WHERE: 16375 State Highway 183 South, Refugio

• WHEN: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday and Sunday by appointment. Live music on first and third Saturday of every month, from 6:30-10 p.m.

"Because we make our own wine, bottle it and the whole bit. Fruit wines are popular, and the fact that we make it here on site and we do all the bottling and labeling is nice. Most of our grapes come from local vineyards, and we try to keep everything as local as possible. We also have our own tasting room." - Regina Staggs, co-owner with husband David Staggs

LAVACA BLUFFS

• WHERE: 172 Private Road 4261 (South of Lolita)

• WHEN: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2-6 p.m. Sunday. Other days available by appointment

• FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 361-874-4663 or visit the website at lavacabluffs.com.

• Why should people visit Lavaca Bluffs?

"We have a beautiful view of the Lavaca River, up high on the bluff. We also feature local history and stories on each of our labels. That's part of the tasting experience. It's those nuggets of history that makes it popular. Also, we're not a pretentious winery like in some bigger, more urban areas. People won't feel intimidated, and it's a good starting point to learn backgrounds on wines, grapes and the whole making process. Primarily we deal with Texas fruits and grapes. When we can't acquire it locally, we bring it in from other places." - Beth Reed, co-owner with husband Dough Reed.

DARCY'S VINEYARD

• WHERE: 7952 Farm-to-Market Road 1891, Hallettsville

• WHEN: 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. Other days available by appointment

• FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call 361-772-2389 or go to darcysvineyard.com.

• What makes Darcy's Vineyard special?

"We're only about a year old, but we're trying to source our wine locally, and it's gone pretty well. We are the first and only winery in Lavaca County, and we make our wine from local grapes, not wild grapes. We offer an array from dry to sweet red and white wine." - Darcy Warren, co-owner with husband, John.